This invention relates generally to hand lanterns. More particularly, the present invention relates to remote controlled hand lanterns.
Hand lanterns have a plurality of styles. There are waterproof hand lanterns, and also expandable-contractible hand lanterns. One such lantern is disclosed in Hong Kong Patent No. UHCX3506, titled xe2x80x9cHand Lanternxe2x80x9d. The structure of this hand lantern, which can be floating, waterproof and expanded-contracted, is shown in FIG. 1. The lantern includes a base 1, a moveable cover 2, a trim cover 3, a lantern top shade 4, a handle 5, a lantern base trestle 7, and a connecting ring 9. The base 1 forms the lower part of the shell of the hand lantern and is a double deck, sheath-fitting, barrel-shaped structure. The double deck wall is formed by outer-sleeve 1-1 and inner-sleeve 1-2. The moveable cover 2 is positioned in the double deck wall and can be pulled out and pushed in along double deck wall. The side wall of the moveable cover 2 is composed of transparent material. A ventilating hole 2-6 is opened at the top of the moveable cover 2. The lantern top shade 4 is installed at the top of the moveable cover. Handle 5 is moveably connected to the lantern top cover 4 by a hole 4-1 extending therethrough. Lantern base trestle 7 is moveable up and down within a hole in the middle of top cover of base 1. Connecting ring 9, installed on outer side of upper part of the base 1, prevents moveable cover 2 from sliding out from double deck wall after positioning within the double deck wall.
The hand lantern also has a waterproof ring 6 in a groove on the outer side of lower part of the moveable cover 2 to provide water-resistance to the lantern. A copper plate 7-3, connected to the light bulb, is installed on lantern base trestle 7 and a copper plate 1-5 is provided under the upper cover of the base 1. Base 1, moveable cover 2, lantern base trestle 7 and spring 8 form a connecting style circuit switch. When moveable cover 2 is pulled out, the lantern base trestle 7 is pushed to the highest position under the biasing force of spring 8. The copper plate 7-3 on the lantern base trestle 7 contacts the copper plate 1-5 under the upper shade of the base completing the circuit and the light bulb is switched on. When moveable cover 2 is pushed down, the lantern base trestle 7 is pressed down by the top cover of the moveable cover 2 and copper plate 7-3 is disconnected from copper plate 1-5, switching off the light bulb is switched off. However, it has been found that a remote control device would facilitate use of the lantern, especially when the lantern is hanged in a higher or farther place during use.
A remote controllable hand lantern with multi column-shaped fluorescent lamp serving as light-source is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,126, titled xe2x80x9cRemote Control Fluorescent Lanternxe2x80x9d. This lantern includes a lantern shade and a top cover at the top of the lantern shade. A base supports the lantern shade and top cover. A fluorescent lamp is installed within lamp shade. The lantern shade, base, and top cover are integrated together by a removable device. A bracket provided on the removable device is positioned close to the fluorescent lamp. To facilitate installation of the fluorescent lamp, a horizontal support is provided to keep the working position of the fluorescent lamp within the lamp shade. An upper electrical contacting device installed on the top cover connects the upper end of the fluorescent lamp with the electrical circuit. A lower electrical contacting device installed on the base connects the lower end of the fluorescent lamp with electrical circuit. A remote control system includes a radio frequency generator with coded pulse generator, used to receive hand-control input instruction coming from the controlling switch and to transform it into a coded pulse signal. The transmitter has a modulator for modulating the coded pulse signal into a radio frequency carrier signal. A transmitting antenna transmits the modulating radio frequency signal. The transmitting system includes a radio frequency receiving device to receive the radio frequency signal transmitted by above-mentioned transmitter and transforms the radio frequency signal into a control signal. The receiving device installed within the base includes a receiving antenna for receiving the modulating radio frequency signal transmitted from the transmitter. The receiving antenna and above-mentioned removable device are integrated. The receiver includes a demodulator for demodulating the radio frequency signal into a coded pulse output. The receiver includes a decoder, which transforms the coded pulse output into a control signal, and a controlling unit which receives the control signal and operates the fluorescent lamp. This fluorescent hand lantern does not have waterproof ability and can not be expanded-contracted to reduce the volume during transport.
The hand lantern of the Hong Kong patent cannot be readily modified to include the remote control device or the fluorescent lamp of the U.S. patent, the lamp base and expanded-contracted switch device of the hand lantern being unsuitable for such modification.
Therefore, the subject invention solves the above-mentioned insufficiency of the conventional technology and provides a remote control hand lantern which has both waterproof ability and an expanded-contracted remote control switch.
A remote control hand lantern in accordance with the invention includes a base having a bottom and a double-deck wall sheath-fitting barrel-shaped structure. A moveable cover installed in the double-deck wall can be pulled out and pushed in along double-deck wall. A lantern top shade is installed at the top of moveable cover and a handle is movably connected with lantern top shade. A trestle with a transparent bladder-like sleeve is movable up and down within a hole in the middle of the upper cover of the base. A spring under the trestle and positioned in a spring cup of the base contacts a circuit switch formed by the base, moveable cover, trestle and spring. The power-source and circuit board of the remote control receiving triggering circuit are mounted within a chamber on the outer side of the base proximate to the spring cup. A light-source support is disposed in an upper part of the trestle and a light-source socket is disposed in a lower part of the trestle, with the light-source support being moveable up and down through the middle hole of top cover. A fixed contact is provided on both sides of the lower part of light-source support. Mobile contacts corresponding to the fixed contacts are carried on the light-source socket. A contacting style circuit switch formed by the base, the moveable cover, the fixed contact, the mobile contact, and the spring is serially connected between the power-source and the remote control receiving triggering circuit. The output of remote control receiving triggering circuit is connected with the light-source pin of the light-source socket. A remote control transmitting device and receiving triggering device is also provided.
A base ventilating hole extending through the bottom of the base ventilating hole may be closed with a plug.
The above-mentioned remote control receiving triggering circuit includes a remote control receiver and a triggering circuit, in which the triggering circuit includes a triggering switch circuit and the electronic ballast of fluorescent lamp.
The above-mentioned remote control transmitter and remote control receiver are a radio frequency remote control transmitter and a radio frequency remote control receiver.
The power-source is a direct current power source, installed on outer side of spring cup of the base, the direct current power source being connected with the contacting style circuit switch through a choke coil.
The radio frequency transmitter includes a power-source, a transmitter button switch, a modulator, a radio frequency oscillator, and an antenna, in which the power-source is connected with the modulator through the button switch of transmitter, the.output of modulator is connected with the base electrode of the oscillating transistor of the radio frequency oscillator, changing direct current into radio frequency signal modulated by low frequency signal, transmitted by the transmitting antenna.
The radio frequency remote control transmitter includes a tuned circuit of antenna, a radio frequency amplifier, a super regenerated oscillating selector, an operational amplifier and a demodulator, in which the tuned circuit of the antenna is connected with the radio frequency amplifier, the output of the radio frequency amplifier is connected with the super regenerated oscillator, gaining a radio frequency signal same as the transmitted signal, the output of the super regenerated oscillating selector is connected with the triggering circuit after connecting the operational amplifier and the demodulator, the output of triggering circuit is connected with the light-source through the light-source socket.
The light-source is a U-shaped, high efficiency and energy saving lamp.
The advantages of the subject invention are that the hand lantern not only can be waterproof but also has an expanded-contracted switch, and provided with remote control transmitting-receiving device, can remote control the switch of hand lantern; easy to use, saving electrical energy.